Shock absorbing suspension for liquid gas containers



H. S. JACKET May 13, 1952 SHOCK ABSORBING SUSPENSION FOR LIQUID GAS CONTAINERS Filed July 12 1951 Ha ward S. Jacket INVENTOR.

Patented May 13, 1952 SHOCK ABSORBING SUSPENSION FOR LIQUID GAS CONTAINERS Howard S. Jacket, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Hofman Laboratories, 1110., Newark, N. 3., a corporation of New Jersey Application July 12, 1951, Serial No. 236,439

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a means for suspending a liquid gas container within-an outer con tainer, primarily designed to minimize or prevent damage to the inner container due to shocks to which the container will be subjected during transportation.

' Liquified gases, such as hydrogen and helium are generally retained in flasks which are mounted within an outer container of the Dewar type to prevent evaporation losses due to heat radiation, conduction and convection. These flasks or inner containers are relatively delicate and therefore readily subject to damage when transported. It is the primary object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a unique type of shock absorbing means for suspending the inher liquid gas container in an outer container whereby damage to the inner container due to jarring or relative movement between the containers will be maintained at a minimum or substantially eliminated. Inasmuch as undue jarring or relative movement between the containers is known to cause evaporation losses, the present mounting or shock absorbing suspension means will help reduce these evaporation losses as well as protect the inner container against damage.

A further important object of this invention is to provide a shock absorbing suspension for liquid gas containers which is relatively simple in design and construction and which allows for the easy suspension of the inner container within the outer container.

A further important object of this invention is to provide a shock absorbing suspension of the character described which so resiliently mounts the top and bottom portions of the inner container within the outer container that undue lashing of the liquid gas in the inner container will be reduced to a minimum regardless of the nature of the thrust imparted to the outer container.

These, together with various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by the device, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated by way of example only in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View of the device, partly broken away and shown in section to illustrate details on construction;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on section line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 4--4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary enlarged group elevational view of the lower suspension means.

Specific reference is now made to the drawings. In the several views in the accompanying drawings and in the following specification reference characters indicate corresponding elements throughout.

Indicated generally at Ill is a conventional liquid gas flask or container having a substantially spherical portion l2 and a reduced neck portion l4 which carries a vertically extending tube I6 that passes through a suitable aperture [8 in the upper wall 29 of an outer container 22, the latter being of the usual double Wall Dewar type. It will be understood that the suspension means to be described more fully hereinafter may be appropriately employed with an innerliquid gas container and an outer container of varying sizes and shapes although the preferred construction is shown in the drawings.

Welded or riveted as at 24 to the inner surface of the bottom wall 26 of the outer container is the bottom end of a bellows-type flexible member 28 which is substantially cylindrical in cross section and includes vertically spaced substantially horizontally extending convolutions 3D. The bellows-type member 23 may be fabricated of any suitable flexible metal and it will be seen that the lower portion 32 thereof which is secured to the bottom 26 of the outer container is in the form of an annular ring. The bellows-type member 26 is provided with suitable breather apertures 34 and the upper end of the member is also in the form of an annular ring 36 similar to and of approximately the same dimensions as the lower annular ring 32.

Welded or riveted as at 38 to the upper end 36 of the member 28 is a plate 40 arcuated to conform to the lower portion 42 of the flask or inner container Ill. The plate is adapted to bear against the lower portion 42 and support the flask Ill and is provided centrally with a depending nut 42 which extends into the bellows-type member 28, the latter being hollow as shown clearly in Figure '3. The nut 42 is internally threaded to receive an externally threaded stem 44 depending centrally from the lower curved portion 42 of the flask ll].

Approximately secured on the outer surface of the upper wall 20 of the outer container is; an externally threaded bushing 46 having a central bore 48 of the same diameter as and in. alignment with the aperture l8 of the upper wall 20. These bores loosely receive the tube l6 and en gaging the bushing is an internally threaded cap 50 having an annular wall 52 and an upper wall 54 which is provided with a central aperture 56 loosely receiving the tube I6. The aperture 56 is of lesser diameter than that of the bores l8 and 48. The upper end of the bushing is provided with an annular recess 58 serving as a sheet for a frictional, resilient, distortable O-ring 60 preferably fabricated of rubber, which bears against the inner ,sur-facewoIjthe-upper wall 54 of the. cap whereby-the ring'is distorted to grip the tube, as shown in Figure 2.

Thus it will be seen that the suspension means for the tube I6 cooperates with the suspension means for the bottom portion 42 of. the. flask to allow for a number of cushioning movements of the flask relative to the outer-container. The

flask is capable of smooth longitudinal move- 3% ment, of swivel movement about the bellows-type member 28 and of limited swivel movement about.

the O-ring 60 because of the relative diameters of the bores l8 and 56 and that of the tube Hi.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,

it"isbel'i'eved that a clear understanding of the device-will be quite apparentto those skilled? in thia-art; A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of theappended' claims.

'Having'described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In combination with a liquid gas inner container and an outer container receiving the same, a shock absorbing suspension comprising a threaded'stem depending from the bottom of said inner container a flexible bellows-type member secured at its bottom end to the inner bottom surface of' said outer container, a bearing plate secured to the upper end of said member conforming in shape'to' a portion of the bottom of said inner container and abutting said portion, and .a threaded nutjcarried by said bearing plate andlreceiving said threaded stem.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said bellows-type member is aasnbstantially tcylindrical :hollowbody having vertically spaced horizontally extending convolutions and is provided with breather apertures.

3. .The, combination of claim 1 wherein said inner" container includes a tube carried at its upper end and extending through an aperture in the upper end-of .said outer container, and a means resiliently supporting said tube in said upper end ofsaid outer container.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said means includes an externally threaded bushing on said upper end and including a bore loosely receiving said tube, an internally threaded cap engaging said bushing andincludinga bore loosely receiving, said. tube, said second bore being smaller in...diamet.er thansaid -first.-bore,j-and a distortable, frictional. resilient ring'insaidicap yieldingly gripping said tube.

5. The combination of claim 4 and ;an.annular recess: at the'upper end of .said bushing: about its bore serving as a seat for .said ring.

6. In combination with a liquid gas inner con.- tainer and an outer container receiving the same, a shock absorbing suspension comprising a flexible bellows-type member secured at its lower end to the inner bottom surface of said outer container, a bearing plate secured to the upper end of said member and coniormingin shape to a portion of the bottom of saideinner container, means removably attaching the :upper end of said member to the bottom of said-inner container wherebythe bearing plate abuts said portion of the bottom of said inner container, and a. means frictionally and yieldingly suspending the; upper end of. said inner container on the upper end. of said ,outercontainer.

HOWARD S. J ACKETIY.

'No references cited. 

